


Lovers in the Dark

by Lotus (Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson)



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: 17-Year-Old Nico, 19-Year-Old Leo, Anxious Nico, M/M, Smoking Leo, Smoking Nico, Underage Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-21 17:30:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8254315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson/pseuds/Lotus
Summary: The darkness of the forest surrounding the camp always calmed Nico, to an extent. The fire from his lighter would illuminate his closest surroundings, allowing to the relaxation of being able to see just enough to keep the dark out. The air was chilled around him, seeping through the fabric of his hoodie. He didn’t know if it was his or Hazel’s, but his arms were goose bumped. The hoodie was tight, but it could have been one of his old ones. He never really did clean his cabin space out properly.
In which, Nico sneaks off camp for a cigarette, and gets lost in the dark. Thank God he has Leo.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [queerpatroclus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/queerpatroclus/gifts).



The darkness of the forest surrounding the camp always calmed Nico, to an extent. The fire from his lighter would illuminate his closest surroundings, allowing to the relaxation of being able to see just enough to keep the dark out. The air was chilled around him, seeping through the fabric of his hoodie. He didn’t know if it was his or Hazel’s, but his arms were goose bumped. The hoodie was tight, but it could have been one of his old ones. He never really did clean his cabin space out properly.  
  
His hands shook as he fumbled for the back pocket of his jeans, finding the crumpled pack of cigarettes in there and pulling them free. He realised with a jolt of anxiety that he would have to extinguish his lighter for a moment to pull a cigarette out. He could summon something to hold it for him, but someone would sense him so far out of camp – he was pretty sure he was outside the camp itself, and being in trouble with Chiron for being off campus and smoking underage didn’t sound like a good time.  
  
Well, he was seventeen and underage, but he was only a month or so away from his 18th birthday. It wasn’t _that_ big a deal.  
  
He struggled for a moment with the pack, bracing it against his thigh as he tried to get a cigarette out, but to no avail. After a minute of struggling, Nico realised he would have to let the flame go out. He planned it out in his head; drop the button, grab a cigarette out, relight it, and then he got to have a merry time.  
  
Nico took a breath and let go of the fork of his lighter. The darkness immediately closed in around him, and Nico’s hands shook from more than just the cold as he fumbled with the cigarette box. He’d grabbed a cigarette, was pulling it free, when he shivered violently. His hand opened, the cigarette fell back into the box, and he heard the soft _thump_ as his lighter dropped into the pile of leaves at his feet.  
  
Immediately, he dropped to his knees, frantically feeling for the device through his black fingerless gloves. The fabric caught on twigs, and he felt them get tight as threads were pulled. His breathing began hitching in his throat as shadowed hands reached out to him, but as he batted them away, they disappeared; mere figments of his imagination.  
  
Slowly, he could feel his control breaking down, and tried to grab at it before he summoned something from his own nightmares when he was so lost out in the woods.  
  
After a few moments, his anxiety sky rocketed, and he was forced to stop. Shivering, he leant his back against the tree he had previously been leaning on, hugging his knees to his chest. He hid his face in his knees, shaking violently. There was no way he could find his way back to camp in the dark – even if he knew the route, his own mind would stop him.  
  
Tears welled in his eyes as he heard leaves being stepped on, getting closer and closer towards him.  
  
Hot, salty liquid slipped down his cheeks and seeped into his jeans, making the spots on his legs where the fell even colder as the footsteps stopped – seemingly right in front of him.  
  
If this was it, if this was how he died… he only hoped it was quick.  
  
“Nics?”  
  
There was a feeling of warmth crawling slowly over his body – but not unpleasantly. It felt like a hug, and slowly, he looked up.  
  
Leo was stood in front of him, a frown of concern on his face. A ball of flame floated in front of him, bathing the entire clearing around them in light. Looking to the left, Nico spotted his lighter glistening faintly by the fire’s light.  
  
“What are you doing out here, Leo?”  
  
“I just finished that massive 10k assignment for Chiron. I like a cigarette when I finish long assignments like that.”  
  
He moved to sit next to Nico, nudging him gently. “What are _you_ doing out here, is the question?”  
  
Nico hesitated before picking up the crumpled pack of cigarettes from his side. “You knew, don’t even pretend.”  
  
Leo’s open mouth had shut for a moment. “Okay, yeah, I did. You’re not that discreet about it, if I’m honest.”  
  
Nico shrugged a little bit and pulled a cigarette out of his pack. Now that Leo was here, their arms brushing against each other gently, Nico felt relaxed. His anxiety was starting to simmer down to something controllable, well… he could deal with it. Cracking the menthol crystal in the filter, he stared up at the sky above the clearing.  
  
He wondered momentarily, as he always did, what it would be like to be the son of a God from _up there_ , rather than _down there_.  
  
“As long as Chiron doesn’t find out for a month.”  
  
“He is a bit of a stickler for it.”  
  
The two boys sat in silence and Nico tried to spark his lighter. Before he could attempt a second time, Leo offered his hand, one of his fingertips floating a tiny flame above it. Smiling softly, Nico leaned forward to let the tip of his cigarette enter the flame, inhaling the cold, menthol tinted smoke into his lungs. He held it tightly inside for a moment, before exhaling out of his nose.  
  
The burn inside his chest was welcoming, and his anxiety diminished even more.  
  
They sat in silence as Leo sparked his cigarette. Nico glanced around at the dark corners beyond the clearing, remembering how he had lost control earlier; even a mere second of a lapse could have created something.  
  
Leo caught the movement, and the flame drew closer to them, floating directly in front of them. “If you want me to put it up higher so it illuminates more, let me know.”  
  
Nico nodded and smiled softly, glancing at his boyfriend. He still didn’t understand just why Leo was always like this. It was almost pathetic.  
  
He was 17 years old, the son of Hades, and was terrified of the dark.  
  
Then again, Leo was still somewhat scared of fire. Even though he had harnessed his powers, he could still lose control, still start a fire he couldn’t contain.  
  
Closing his eyes as he took another drag, and rested his head on Leo’s shoulder. The elder didn’t move for a moment, before his arm wrapped around Nico’s shoulders, and he leant down to press a kiss to the mess of black hair atop Nico’s head.  
  
They stayed like that for a long time, warm from the flames of Leo’s fire. Nico even found he could keep his eyes closed without having to open them to look around, fuelled by the anxious fear inside of something he might have created.  
  
It was safe here.  
  
Finishing his cigarette, Nico stubbed it out on the tree behind him, hating the lack of contact to Leo. Turning where he sat, he shifted so he was half layed down, his arms wrapped around Leo and his head on the elder teen’s chest. Leo’s spare hand rested on the other’s back, rubbing in soft circles.  
  
Eventually, they would have to return to Camp Half Blood. Eventually, they would have to get up and Nico would have to get back to Hades Cabin before someone noticed his absence. Maybe tonight, he’d be able to convince Leo to stay in the cabin with him, knowing that Hazel would be sleeping in the Pluto cabin.  
  
He hated sleeping alone.  
  
But for now, they were thoughts for another time.  
  
Right now, he was safe.  
  
Right now, he was _home_.


End file.
